Aug 21, 2012

First of all....we don't really keep track of "grade levels" in our Home-School. Second of all...older kids can glean what they can from younger level work and visa versa.

Always.

Obviously.

Galilee and Jemima are starting an Anatomy/Physiology Course in a few weeks. It will be taught by a Master's College Prof. Until then...they are joining in on the youngers Apologia Astronomy Class.

Maybe they will stay with it....even after their olders class begins??? I think so.

Today in History.....we discussed Eric the Red and Leif the Lucky. The older girls will need to delve a bit deeper. For Zion...an introduction is adequate. Same topic...varying ages/grade levels. The same Time-Line for all will be assembled and hung on the wall.

While the older kids work on their Teaching Textbooks Algebra 2 lesson in the front yard....Zion works on her Saxon Grade 3 lesson in the living room.

I oversee things. It's my job to make my kids correct their work until they master the concepts presented.

Aug 20, 2012

Oh my goodness...same convo going on over here. But wait...if I say "no" to one thing ...do I say "no" to another? For instance....a believer marrying a non-believer....or two heterosexual non believers who are currently living together while fornicating....taking the leap into marriage....or a believer walking in open sin marrying another believer walking in open sin (fornicating or any ####### of other sins)...or a man wanting to marry his 5th wife...or ...or.....or.....or..............................BIG questions.

And the immediate answers one might respond with bring up bigger questions.

Bradley, the kids, and I...went round and round just last week regarding this very topic.

I am so happy I am a wife and a mother and a home-educating one at that...who says "yes" and "no" to photography shoots...depending on my schedule.

And I am thankful for the hard questions as they keep me grounded in the Word...seeking out Godly counsel... and on my toes. And I am thankful for the Alliance Defending Freedom.

If you were a vegan Peta supporting photographer and you were asked to shoot a dream African Safari Wedding (all expenses paid :) ...or document a Deep Sea Tuna Fishing Expedition/Bachelor Party...would you do it? Or the Thanksgiving cover for Food & Wine...complete with a crisp skinned perfectly browned delicious moist meat turkey as the star?????? Could you? Would you?

If you were a photographer who had personal objections to nudity on film and a client came to you wanting a Nude Sitting w/ her newborn? Nothing scandalous would be exposed...just a beautiful art shot. Would you feel differently about shooting nudity if you were in a different setting...let's say....in Africa where tribal nudity was the norm? What if the model was a cancer survivor who wanted to document the loss of her breasts and her victory over the disease?

Aug 19, 2012

Last week Zion and I were confronted by a homeless man who made us feel as if we were in danger.

We are in close proximity to many homeless individuals...and interact with them on a daily basis...usually offering what we can (hardly ever $$$$) and a kind word.

In Scottsdale...we would run to the nearest fast food place and buy the rare person asking for help a meal. But here...the need is far too great. Not only would we be penniless...but we would have no time to do anything else.

It has been an eye opening experience...living life once again (and a new experience for the kids) surrounded by such obvious poverty and despair.

I pray that the normalcy of seeing people sleeping in doorways, under freeway passes, and on bus stop benches does not create an apathy in my heart or in the hearts of anyone in our family. Apathy is the enemy (scroll down to view.)

This one guy was a problem. After offering him a granola bar he began to hiss and bark at us. Bearing his teeth...as if he were an animal. For a good 3 minutes. He did not back down. A passerby walking his dogs became a target as well. For another few tense minutes. And then...attentions were turned towards a UPS delivery man.

Obviously, this homeless man was mentally ill. There was a discernable spiritual darkness that was present during the confrontation as well.

Zion and I were shaken.

We did not take a Self Defense Course because of the incident...but the timing could not have been more perfect.

If you take your children to fundraisers which raise $$$$$$$$ and awareness to combat human trafficking and they attend a weekly Bible Study with you where one of the actresses there plays an abducted girl forced into prostitution in a film about human trafficking...and you teach them from the Bible about the story of Mary the prostitute who's life was turned around by Jesus....and you see prostitutes on local street corners.....you will most likely get questions like sweet little Zion Evangeline's tonight...

Zion: Is there such a thing as men prostitution for women?

If you have gay family members, or gay friends in your circle of friends or gay acquaintances....

...or visit frequently an area of town in Hollywood off of Sycamore and Santa Monica where some of the people who hang out on the street corners are obviously men dressed up as women looking for a john....something similar to this might be the follow up...

Zion: Wait, is there such a thing as gay prostitution?

She is not yet ready for the whole transgender/transsexual conversation. Her mind and heart are processing. Men want to buy women and girls for sex? Women want to buy men for sex? Men want to buy men and boys for sex? ( I'm sure I am missing some other possible scenarios...)

She knows some of the things sex has to do with because she doesn't live under a rock...and she's been taught what she needs to know in order to be safe. But not really. Not yet.

It is a lot.

Parenting in a fallen world is not for the faint of heart.

Living life as we are called to live it ...brings new life experiences...which brings new opportunities. New discussions.

For those of you who know me well...my life's motto has been...Grow where you are planted.

Grow deeper with the Lord and others in the spot where He has placed you...for He has placed you there in this season for a reason.

Aug 1, 2012

To be 100% honest...Mcabe had an audition right near there so we went for lunch...but even if there were no reason to be over the hill....we would've gone out of our way.

The staff was awesome! Super busy and super accommodating. They genuinely appreciated the support and encouragement.

The protesters were fine during the day...civil and orderly.

Things in Hollywood were getting a little funky as the sun was setting though. Patrons were being harassed by some who were obviously passionate and wanting to argue. It was hard to hear them over their combativeness. Security asked that diners not engage.

Much of what they were shouting were things similar to a facebook post I saw on a friend of a friend's wall...things like...

"I, too, stand with Chic-fil-A in supporting the Bible. That’s why I believe in slavery, think women are sinful by nature and that adulterers should be stoned to death."

My response on facebook....

"What many fail to understand is that slavery in biblical times was very
different from the slavery that was practiced in the past few centuries
in many parts of the world. The slavery in the Bible was not based
exclusively on race. People were not enslaved because of their
nationality or the color of their skin. In Bible times, slavery was more
a matter of social status. People sold themselves as slaves when they
could not pay their debts or provide for their families. In New
Testament times, sometimes doctors, lawyers, and even politicians were
slaves of someone else. Some people actually chose to be slaves so as to
have all their needs provided for by their masters.

The slavery of the past few centuries was often based exclusively on
skin color. In the United States, many black people were considered
slaves because of their nationality; many slave owners truly believed
black people to be inferior human beings. The Bible most definitely does
condemn race-based slavery. Consider the slavery the Hebrews
experienced when they were in Egypt. The Hebrews were slaves, not by
choice, but because they were Hebrews (Exodus 13:14).
The plagues God poured out on Egypt demonstrate how God feels about
racial slavery (Exodus 7-11). So, yes, the Bible does condemn some forms
of slavery. At the same time, the Bible does seem to allow for other
forms. The key issue is that the slavery the Bible allowed for in no way
resembled the racial slavery that plagued our world in the past few
centuries. "

Women are sinful. Romans 3:23

And...

.....regarding the whole stoning issue.... I linked those interested to this.

I added.....

All this...so you can
understand better the mindsets of those who hold to an orthodox
understanding of the Bible's teachings. I hope to God that those who
have a problem with this info...realize that they have a problem with
the Bible first and foremost...before they have a problem with those who
believe what it says and attempt to live their lives in light of it's
teachings. Failed and flawed as we obviously are.

The bottom line is...I think people want to be understood. I know I do.

Listening is important. And discussion is a good thing.

Mark 12

28One
of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that
Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the
commandments, which is the most important?”

29“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.e30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’f31The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’g There is no commandment greater than these.”

32“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33To
love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all
your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important
than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

I think we would agree that we need the Lord's constant help to even attempt coming anywhere near to following the above instructions.

And....for all you health nuts out there who are horrified that we ate fast food three times yesterday....we made wise menu choices and YOLO :)